Speed-changing mechanism.



No. 685,587. Patented flct. 29, I90].

6. A. ENSIGN.

SPEEDGHANGING MECHANISM.

(A pialication am July so. 1001., (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shoot I.

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No. 685,587. Patented Oct. 29, I901.

' G. ENSlGN.

SPEED CHANGING MECHANISM.

. (Application filed. July 30, 1901.1 (No ModalJ' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

INVENTOH 6602' EJ915315 n B) ATTQOH sv WITNESSES Patented 0st. 29, 190i.G. A. ENSIGN.

SPEED CHANGING MECHANISM.

(Application filed July so, 1901.]

l'nsi n BY 3 9 WITNESSE aaww/j (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. ENSIGN, OF DEFIANOE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEFIANOE MACHINEWORKS, OF DEFIANOE,

OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SPEED-CHANGING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part 'of Letters Patent N 0. 685,587, datedOctober 29, 1901. Original application filed April 9, 1901, $erial No.55,022. Divided and this application filed July 30, 1901. Serial To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. ENSIGN, a "citizen of the United States,and a resident of Defiance, in the county of Defiance and State of Ohio,have invented a new and Improved Speed-Ohangin g Mechanism, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, this being a divisionof the application for Letters Patent of the United States for anaxle-shaping machine, Serial No. 55,022, filed by me April 9, 1901.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedspeed-changing mechanism which is simple and durable in construe tion,very effective in operation, and arranged to automatically change thespeed of a carriage or other movable part of the machine While travelingin one direction and to stop the carriage or movable part whenever itreaches the end of its stroke. I

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out inthe claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement as applied to an axle-shapingmachine such as shown in the application above referred to. Fig. 2 is atransverse section of the same on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is anenlarged transverse section of the improvement, and Fig. 4 is a similarview of the same with parts in a different position.

The speed-changing mechanism may be applied to various machines. Asrepresented in the drawings,it is shown applied to an axleshapingmachine having a bed A, on which is mounted to reciprocate a carriagerG,automatically fed forward by a suitable feed mechanism, of which thefeed-screw H is shown, the carriage being quickly returned by hand. Thecarriage supports a revoluble carrier F for a cutter-bar E, provided atits free end with a cutter D for cutting and shaping the rough end of awooden axle. The feed mech- (No model.)

anism for the carrier F and the carriageG is driven from the main shaftK, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) journaled in suitable bearings carried on abracket A attached to the rear of the bed A, and on said shaft K aremounted to' turn loosely pulleys K K of which the pulley K is connectedby a belt K with a large pulley on a counter-shaft, (not shown,) and theother pulley K is connected by a belt K with asmall pulley on saidcounter-shaft,so that When the latter is rotated the pulley K is rotatedat a higher rate of speed than the pulley K The pulleys K K are adaptedto be engaged by friction-clutches K K", con nected with each other andmounted to slide on and to turn with the shaft K, a shifting lever Kengagingthe hub K common to said clutches K K", to move either of thelatter into frictional engagement with the corresponding pulley K or Kand thereby rotate the shaft K at a high rate of speed during the timethe cutter D cuts one portion of the axle O or to rotate the shaft K ata low rate of speed during the time the cutter D cuts another portion ofthe axle- When the lever K is in a central position, as shown in Fig. 2,then both clutches K K are out of frictional engagement with theirpulleys K K and the shaft K is now at a standstill,

Onthe shaftK is secured a bevel gear-wheel cured on the lower end of avertically-disposed shaft L journaled in suitable bear- V ings carriedby the bracket A On the upper end of the shaft L is securedabevel-pinion L ,in mesh with a bevel gear-wheel L fastened on theforward end of a shaft L extending longitudinally and mounted to turn insuitable bearings carried by the bed A. This shaft L is geared to thecarrier F and to the feed-screw H by gearing (not shown) to rotate thecarrier and the feed-screw'for the latter to automatically feed thecarriage G forward.

In order to actuate the shifting lever K for starting the machine by theoperator and in order to automatically shift the double clutch K K fromthe carriage G to run the machine ata low rate of speed at the time thecutter D has finished one portion of the axle and has started on theother portion, the following arrangement is made: The shifting lever Kis pivotally connected with the rear end of a rod R, extendingtransversely through suitable openings in the bed A to connect at theforward end with a block R, mounted to slide transversely in suitableguideways formed in a bracket A, secured to the front of the bed A. Thisblock R is pivotally connected with a treadle R, fulcrumed on thebracket A and adapted to be pressed by the operator to slide the block Rinto a forward position against the tension of a spring R secured at itsforward end on a rod R adjustably held in the block R. The rear end ofthe spring R is secured to a second block R likewise mounted to slide inthe guideway of the bracket A in the rear of the block R,

and this block R is provided with a longitudinal pin R extending throughelongated slots in the sides of the guideway of the bracket A, as isplainly shown in Fig. 2, and the outer ends of said pin R are adapted tobe engaged by arms S, secured on a shaft S, mounted to turn'in suitablebearings carried on the guideway of the bracket A A treadle S is securedon this shaft S and is under the control of the operator, and saidtreadle is formed with an extension S adapted to rest on a rubber block8, carried by the bracket A and serving to limit the upward-swingingmotion of the treadle S The tops of the blocks R R are formed withshoulders R R respectively adapted to be engaged by dogs T T, looselyfulcrumed on the shaft S, so that when the operator presses the treadlesR and S and causes the blocks R and R to slide in opposite directionsthen the dogs T T drop and by their free ends engage the shoulders R Rto lock the blocks R R in position against the tension of the spring Ras is plainlyindicated in Fig. 3. The dogs T T are pivotally connectedby upwardly-extending links T T with arms T T secured onlongitudinallyextending shafts U U, mounted to turn in suitable bearingscarried by brackets A attached to the bed A. On the shafts U U areadjnstably held upwardly-extending arms U U carrying at their upper endsfriction-rollers U U adapted to be engaged by a pin U depending from abracket U secured to the front of the carriage G. Now when the carriageG moves forward the depending pin U first comes in contact with thefriction-roller U and imparts an outward-swinging motion to the arm U torock the shaft U, and thereby give an upward-swinging motion to the armT to cause the link T to swing the dog T upward out of engagement withthe shoulder R and thereby release the block R, which is now pulledinward by the action of the spring R The inward movement of the block Rcauses the rod R to imparta swinging motion to the shifting lever K tomove the double clutch out of engagement with the pulley K and intoengagement with the pulley K to rotate the shaft K at a low rate ofspeed. The arm U is so adjusted on the shaft U that the above-describedmovement takes place at the time that the cutter D has finished one endof the axle and starts on the other portion of the axle. When the oblongportion of the axle has been finished by the cutter D, then thedepending pin U moves in engagement with the friction-roller U to swingthe arm U transversely, and thereby rock the shaft U, so that the arm Tis swung upward, and its link T imparts an upward-swinging motion to thedog T to release the block R so that the block R is relieved from thetension of the spring R and the said blocks R R the rod R, the lever Kand the frictionclutches K K move to a central position, and theclutches K K are now out of frictional engagement with the pulleys K Kso that the shaft K comes to a standstill, and with it the working partsof the machine. The link T is provided with a weight T for holding thedog T securely in a locked position against the shoulder R of the blockR. The ends of the shafts U U are provided with handles U U", adapted tobe taken hold of by the operator to enable the latter to turn saidshafts whenever desired to actuate the shifting 1e ver K and throw theclutches K K in or out of mesh with the pulleys K K The operation is asfollows: When the carriage G has been moved into a lowermost startingposition, then the operator presses the treadles R S to slide the blocksR R in opposite directions and lock the same in place by the dogs T T.The outer end of the block R causes a pull on the rod B, so that thelever K is swung to throw the clutch K in engagement with the high-speedpulley K, so that the shaft K is now rotated, and with it the shaft L,which in turn drives the screwshaft H and the carrier F. WVhen thecutter D reaches the end of the first part of the axle, then the arm Uacts on the friction-roller U to shift the clutch device, so that thespeed of the shafts K and L and that of the feed screw H and thecarriage G is reduced, as above explained. The second portion of theaxle is now formed under reduced speed on the turning and forwardmovement of the cutter D. When this portion of the axle is finished, thearm U engages the friction roller U to release the block R and cause thefriction-clutch to assume its former or central position. The shaft Know comes to a standstill.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. A speed-changing mechanism, comprising ashaft, pulleys loose on said shaft and driven at different speeds, adouble frictionclutch mounted to slide on and to turn with said shaftand adapted to be thrown in mesh with either of said pulleys, a shiftinglever for said double clutch, a sliding block con-- nected with saidshifting lever, a second sliding block having a spring connection withsaid first-named sliding block, means for moving said blocks in oppositedirections, lock ing-dogs for engaging and locking the blocks in anoutermost position, and means for successively throwing the dogs out ofengagement with said blocks, as set forth.

2. A speed-changing mechanism, comprising a shaft, pulleys loose on saidshaft and driven at different speeds, a double frictionclntch mounted toslide on and to turn with said shaft and adapted to be thrown in meshwith either of said pulleys, a shifting lever for said double clutch, asliding block con-.

nected with said shifting lever, a second sliding block having a springconnection with said first-named sliding block, means for moving saidblocks in opposite directions, locking-dogs for engaging and locking theblocks in an outermost position, and means for successively throwing thedogs out of engagement with said blocks, the last-mentioned meanscomprising rock-arms adapted to be successively rocked from a movingpart of the machine, and links connecting said rock-arms to said dogs,as set forth.

3. A speed-changing mechanism having a setting device for a doubleclutch, comprising a pair of sliding blocks, one of which is connectedwith the shifting lever of the clutch, means for moving the blocksapart, and dogs for engaging the blocks when moved apart, to hold thesame locked in this position, as set forth.

4. A speed-changing mechanism having a setting device for a doubleclutch, comprising a pair of sliding blocks,.one of which is connectedwith the shifting lever of the clutch, means for moving the blocksapart, dogs for engaging the blocks when moved apart, to hold the samelocked in this position, and means for successively throwing said dogsout of engagement with the blocks, as set forth.

5. A speed-changing machine having a set ting device for a doubleclutch, comprisinga pair of sliding blocks, one of which is connectedwith the shifting lever of the clutch,

'treadles for moving the blocks apart, dogs for

